DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

thirty

Dorothea was surprised to see her mother standing on the platform with her sister in law as she stepped off the train. Camille was already standing between the two, looking uncertainty between the two women. Around them was Barnaby Nott, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, and the Puceys, all laughing together. Elvira's breath hitched as she stood behind Dorothea where the two got off together. The sheer boldness of the Slytherin crowd wasn't surprising, with some making jokes here and there about Harry Potter, but seeing those who she suspected to be responsible made her feel sick. Worse of all, though, was the already growing whispers around Hogwarts of Harry Potter being a liar. Not only from Slytherins, either. Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and even some Gryffindors had muttered disbeliefs around Harry's story, which had already spread through the school.

"Get out on the other end of the train, Vi," Dorothea said quietly, pulling her friend into a tight hug, eyeing her mum's cold gaze.

"I love you, Thea. Please stay safe over summer," she pleaded. 

Elvira hurried herself out of their compartment, making her way up the carriage until she spotted her mum on the platform, breathing a sigh of relief when she spotted her speaking to Arthur Weasley. 

"The fucking audacity," Harry Potter said under his breath to Ron and Hermione as they stepped off the train, the pair stayed silent, looking at Harry sadly. Fred and George were behind the trio and followed where Harry had gestured too, both sighing at the group of parents laughing and greeting their children. 

On spotting Harry, Molly and Arthur Weasley separated themself from Mrs Jones, and pulled the boy into a hug, knowing he was to return to his muggle family for the summer. Mr Weasley held the boy tightly, "who was there, Harry?" He whispered into his ear, "they aren't telling us anything at the ministry."

"Malfoy and Rosier, Crabbe and Goyle, they're the only ones I noticed," he said flatly. Mr Weasley straightened himself up and looked at his wife and nodded. The short witch immediately glared over to where Clementine Rosier was talking to her daughter and shook her head, not stopping when Clementine looked over, with a smirk, and met her eye. The dark haired witch raised a mocking hand to Molly, waving with a twisted smile.

"That b..." Molly began, stopping herself as she looked at the children.

"Are you sure you can't come to ours, Harry?" Ron whined, unaware of his mother.

"Dumbledore is very clear, Ronald," Molly said seriously, looking back to the boys. "Harry is to spend the summer with the Dursleys."

Harry gave a resigned sigh and shrugged, letting Hermione squeeze him within an inch of his life, smiling slightly at Ginny.

"I'd better go," he said, "Vernon hates waiting."

"We'll walk you," Fred grinned, throwing an arm over Harry's shoulders. George nodded and did the same. 

The three Gryffindors walked through the crowds on the platform, awkwardly averting their eyes from the groups of crying Hufflepuffs and the glares that came from Slytherin. 

"We just wanted to say," Fred started.

"Thank you so much for the money offer, but-"

"We can't possibly-"

Harry shook his head, "shut up. You already accepted. It's yours. Ced was one of your best friends, he'd want you to open that shop. So, pressures on now."

George grinned and held his hands up, "the chosen one has spoken."

"Get practicing," Harry nodded, pushing his broomstick into Fred's chest for him to take home for summer (Vernon and Petunia didn't trust him to have a broom and a wand), "we've got to win next year."